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Police funerals rich in tradition

The Story

Bagpipes skirl amid a sea of formal blue uniforms as Toronto police officer Const. Todd Baylis is laid to rest in 1994. The pipers, the pageantry and the prolific turnout from police services across North America are traditional at police funerals for a reason: brotherhood. In this CBC-TV report, Jack Webster, a retired Toronto police detective and historian, explains the rituals behind funerals for fallen police officers.

Did You know?

• Const. Todd Baylis died in June 1994 after being shot by a suspect he was trying to arrest. He had been with the Toronto Metropolitan Police Service for four years. According to the Toronto Star, Baylis's funeral drew a turnout of 10,000 officers from forces across North America -- the largest police funeral in Canadian history.